A Hamburger Today

Leftovers: Stray Links From Our Editors

Posted by Jamie Feldmar, Jul 23, 2013

Uni in a box. [Photograph: Kenji Lopez-Alt]

My inner metalhead rejoiced at the sight of this post from First We Feast covering the history of collaboration between heavy metal bands and craft breweries. Drawing cultural and industry parallels throughout the article, author Austin L. Ray demonstrates strong reporting and a remarkable attention to detail. —Niki Achitoff-Gray, Associate Editor

Most table salt in the US has iodine added to it. Initially, the micronutrient was introduced to fight goiter, but as it turns out, it also went a long way in preventing birth deficiencies due to lack of iodine in pregnant mothers. The average intelligence in regions of the US with poorly iodized soil shot up by 3.5 points after iodized salt was introduced. That's a greater increase than a single decade of average IQ growth! —Kenji Lopez-Alt, Chief Creative Officer

The article I could not read without laughing: "Location is everything -- especially for street vendors who don't pay a cent for rent and make a killing on the sidewalks outside prime Manhattan real estate." Perhaps the most hilariously reported and myopic story on street food I've ever seen.—Max Falkowitz, New York Editor

Sometimes I feel like a jerk talking about how fascinating Grant Achatz's The Aviary is. So it feels great to see that Charles Joly, the head bartender, won American Bartender of the Year this week at Tales of the Cocktail. At least I see that Chicagoist agrees with me. —Nick Kindelsperger, Chicago Editor

Thank you, Japan, for making a plastic model kit for gyoza. Combine the five plastic pieces together, paint it with dumpling colors, and you've got...a bunch of inedible plastic dumplings. I can't lie; I kind of want it. —Robyn Lee, Art Director

Part of me would be scared to try out this app for joining random dinner parties at people's homes, but part of me is definitely curious. —Maggie Hoffman, Drinks and Senior Editor

I am 100 percent on the Franklin BBQ-f***ing-rules train but infusing it into whiskey? Seems like there are better things to do with that meat, like put it directly into my stomach. —Carrie Vasios, Sweets Editor